Snap-hook.



PATENTBD NOV. 28, 1905.

R. W. HUBBARD.

SNAP HOOK.

APPLICATION FILED mums, 1905.

Q/uvtmoow RICHARD W. HUBBARD, OF ASHTABULA, OHIO.

SNAP-HOOK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 28, 1905.

Application filed March 23, 1905. Serial No. 251,609.

To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

. provements in Snap-Hooks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention pertains to snap-hooks of the spring-tongue type; and ithas for its object the provision of such a snap-hook embodying aspecific construction whereby its strength and durability is materiallyincreased, and this withoutthe employment of more material than isnecessary in the construction of an ordinary snap-hook of similar type.

l/Vith the foregoing in mind the invention will be fully understood fromthe following description and claims, when taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which-Figure 1 is a perspective view of my novel snap-hook. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal central section of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlargedperspective view of the sleeve of the hook removed, and Fig. 4 is anenlarged transverse section taken in the plane indicated by the line 44.- of Fig. 2 and illustrating the manner in which the sleeve of thehook engages the shank thereof.

Similar letters designate corresponding parts in all of the views of thedrawings, referring to which A is the body of my novel snap-hook. Thesaid body in the present and preferred embodiment of my invention ismade of a single piece of wire of about the caliber illustrated andcomprises a shank a, ahook proper, b, at one end of the shank, and aneye 0 atthe opposite end of the shank. In the making of the body thepiece of wire is looped and bent to form the hook proper, b, the shanka, and the eye 0, and the ends of the piece of wire are disposed in asheet-metal barrel (Z, designed for the engagement of a harness-strap orthe like As plainly illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the stretchesof wire forming the hook proper, Z, and the forward portion of the shanka are arranged a slight distance apart, while the stretches of. wireforming the rear portion of the shank are arranged quite close together,as indicated by e in Fig. 1. From this it follows that a space f will beafforded between the stretches of wire in front of the shank portion 0,and an opening 9 will be provided inthe hook proper, Z, at the bightthereof; also that the arrangement of the portions of wire forming thehook proper and the forward portion of the shank a slight distance apartand the portions of wire forming the rear portion of the shank quiteclose together will contribute to the rigidity and strength of the body.

B is a sheet-metal sleeve, preferably of rec'- tangular form incross-section, which surrounds the shank (Z between the eye 0 andshoulders 7L, opposite the opening f, and is held against endwisemovement by said eye 0 and shoulders h, and C is the spring-tongue ofthe hook. The sleeve B is bent transversely around the shank portion 6,so that its longitudinal edges rest quite close together below theshank, Figs. 2 and a, and it is provided in its upper portion at itsends with depressions or teats Z m and is also provided in its sideportions at its ends with notches 42.1), Figs. 1 and 3. The teats Z andm rest between the stretches of wire adjacent to the opening fand theeye 0, respectively, while the notches n and 1) receive the shoulders itand the inner bars of the eye 0, respectively, as shown in Fig. 1, andfrom this it follows that the sleeve will be securely retained inposition on the shank and will closely conform to all parts of theshank, so as not to be liable to catch into anything; also that thesleeve will tend to hold all of the parts of the body A in the relativepositions shown and will thereby lend strength and durability to thebody.

The tongue G is formed of a single piece of spring-metal and terminatesat one end in a straight flat portion T, which is interposed between oneof the horizontal walls ofthe sleeve B and one side of the rear portionof the shank a and has its forward end 8 reduced and bent into theopening f, so as to hold the tongue against rearward movement and byengaging the teat Z to hold the sleeve B against casual forwardmovement, and thereby contribute materially to the strength anddurability of the hook. From the sleeve B the tongue O extendsrearwardly, then upwardly through the eye 0, and then forwardly andupwardly to a point within the opening 9 provided in the bight of thehook proper. At this latter point the tongue is reduced in width, asindicated by Z, and is disposed in the said opening g of the hookproper. By this arrangement of the reduced end Z of the tongue 0 in theopening g of the hook proper a wide tongue and one of considerablestrength may be employed without making the shank portion of the hookunduly wide, and yet the LOO hook, or rather the bight portion thereof,is made to reinforce and strengthen the free portion of the tongueagainst both lateral and upward strain or pull.

It will be gathered from the foregoing that my novel hook is quite assimple as ordinary hooks of similar type extant, embodies no morematerial than the ordinary hooks, and is susceptible of being quite aseasily manufactured, and yet all of the features of the novel hookcontribute to the strength and durability thereof and enable it towithstand the rough usage to which snap-hooks are ordinarily subjected.

I have specifically described the present and preferred embodiment of myinvention in order to impart a definite understanding of the saidembodiment. I do not desire, however, to be understood as confiningmyself to the specific construction and relative arrangement of parts asshown and described, as such changes or modifications may be made inpractice as fairly fall within the scope of my invention as claimed.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 1s

1. In a snap-hook, the combination of a body comprising a shank formedof parallel portions of wire having shoulders at an intermediate pointin the length of the shank and also having an opening between saidshoulders, a hook proper at one end of the shank, and an eye at theopposite end of the shank, a metallic sleeve surrounding the shank,between the shoulders thereof and the eye, and having notches in itsends receiving the shoulders and the inner bar of the eye, and alsohaving teats disposed between the portions of wire adjacent to theopening between the shoulders and the eye, and a spring-tongue having anend portion interposed and secured between the sleeve and shank, andalso having a free portion normally closing the mouth of the hookproper.

2. In a snap-hook, the combination of a body comprising a shank formedof parallel portions of wire and having the rear part of said portionsof wire arranged close together, and the forward part of said portionsarranged a distance apart, whereby the portions are provided withintermediate shoulders, a hook proper arranged at the forward end of theshank, and having its portions arranged a distance apart whereby anopening is provided at its bight, and an eye arranged at the oppositeend of the shank, a metallic sleeve surrounding the shank, between theshoulders and the eye, and a spring-tongue having an end portioninterposed and secured between the shank and the sleeve and terminatingin areduced end disposed in the opening between the shoulders of theshank, and also having a free portion terminating in a reduced endnormally disposed in the opening in the bight of the hook proper.

3. In a snap-hook, the combination of a body comprising a shank formedof parallel portions of wire and having the. rear part of said portionsof wire arranged close together and the forward part of said portionsarranged a distance apart, whereby the portions are provided withintermediate shoulders, a hook proper arranged at the forward end of theshank and having its portions arranged a distance apart whereby anopening is provided at its bight and an eye arranged at the opposite endof the shank, a metallic sleeve surrounding the shank, between theshoulders thereof and the eye, and having notches in its ends receivingthe shoulders and the inner bar of the eye, and also having teats on itsupper portion disposed between the portions of wire adjacent to theopening between the shoulders and the eye, and a spring-tongue having aportion interposed and secured between the shank and the lower wall ofthe sleeve and terminating in a reduced end disposed in the openingbetween the shoulders of the shank and in front of the forward teat ofthe sleeve and also having a free portion terminating in areduced endnormally disposed in the opening in the bight of the hook proper.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

RICHARD W. HUBBARD. lVitnesses:

(J. J. KING, FRANK T. TALOOTT.

